USC School of Cinema-Television

The USC School of Cinema-Television, the oldest film school in America, prepares students for varied careers in film and television including animation, screenwriting, production and interactive media.

Theory melds with practice at the USC School of Cinema-Television, which offers undergraduate and graduate-level courses in the Division of Critical Studies, Division of Film and Television Production, Division of Interactive Media and Division of Writing for Screen and Television, as well as advanced degrees in the Division of Animation and Digital Arts and Peter Stark Producing Program.

Since its founding in 1929, some of the world's most talented writers, directors, producers, animators, executives and scholars have flocked to the USC School of Cinema-Television. Their names are the stuff of legend: Howard, Lucas, Milius, Wells and Zemeckis; their creations weave the fabric of our culture: A Beautiful Mind, Star Wars, Apocalypse Now, The West Wing and Forrest Gump.

Consistently topping national rankings -- including those compiled by U.S. News & World Report -- the school is renowned for its extraordinary faculty, superb location, strong alumni network, state-of-the-art facilities and unique educational philosophy. The school's setting in the heart of Los Angeles ensures that students have access to the country's leading film, television, animation and interactive gaming producers; world-class literary and talent agencies; libraries and archives brimming with research materials; and a vast alumni community that actively supports the school and its students. All of the school's outstanding faculty members have been or are currently working professionally in their respective fields. Also interesting to note is that the school's industry-standard equipment and facilities rival those found at many commercial studios.

Perhaps the school's most important attribute, however, is its time-tested philosophy that recognizes that a student can only truly excel in his or her chosen area of expertise after exposure to all elements of the art form. Consequently, there is an emphasis on cross-disciplinary course work that ensures that writers get behind the camera; critical studies scholars edit footage; and production majors examine the canon of work from a rigorous academic perspective.

In 2004, the USC School of Cinema-Television marked its "diamond jubilee" anniversary, celebrating a 75-year tradition of training the next generation of creative talent and scholars in film, television and new media.